Cricket | Domestic Cricket

Pakistanis stretch lead beyond 300

The Pakistanis improved on a shaky first innings by racking up the runs in their second innings of their warm-up match against the South African Invitation XI at Buffalo Park in East London on Sunday.

The hosts extended their lead to 312 at stumps on the third day, ending the day on 240-5.

Mohammad Hafeez and Nasir Jamshed combined for a 142-run opening stand in the second session before a roll of the dice, in which skipper Justin Ontong brought Stiaan van Zyl on to bowl, finally broke the partnership.

Hafeez was caught behind for 83 off 109 and was followed back to the pavilion by Jamshed in the very next over when Kyle Abott rattled his stumps.

Pakistan were very much in control at tea, though, going to the break on 145-2, with a 217-run lead in tow after they dismissed the hosts for 257.

Azhar Ali was dismissed shortly after the tea break, caught behind off Wayne Parnell for three and Younis Khan followed soon after for 14.

Asad Shafiq also struggled with the bat again, after managing just four in the first innings. He added 11 before he was dismissed by Simon Harmer.

But that was hardly a worry for the visitors and Misbah-ul-Haq and Sarfaz Ahmed stuck it out until stumps with a 49-run partnership, with the skipper unbeaten on 51 and Ahmed going steady on 19.

On Friday, the Pakistanis won the toss and after electing to bat, put a competitive total on the board, despite a middle-order wobble.

Hafeez 55 (95), Jamshed 68 (158), Sarfraz Ahmed 93 (161) and Umar Gul 49 (76) all played solid knocks and helped steady the visitors after they collapsed from 105-1 to 145-6 on the first day.

Simon Harmer and Kyle Abbott were impressive with the ball for the South Africans, with Harmer taking 5-88 and Abbott claiming 3-82.

The hosts' reply was equally shaky on Saturday as they lost three wickets rather cheaply and were reeling at 31-1 before a solid 89-run partnership between Van Zyl and Vaughn van Jaarsveld steadied the ship.

The South African Invitation XI were all out for 257 in their reply to the Pakistanis' 329 on day three with Van Zyl 45 (88), Van Jaarsveld 92 (125) and Dane Vilas 62* (108) all adding healthy contributions while Junaid Khan (3-76) and Saeed Ajmal (3-66) did the damage with the ball to dismiss the hosts early on the third day.